As Gary sat in his sophomore English class reading his favorite novel, his mind began to wander. Gary was supposed to be reading along with Homer’s The Odyssey when he read the few pages about the Swineherd. Telemacus, Odysseus’s son went to the wise old man known as the swineherd to get advice on how to help rid his father’s palace of his mother’s suitors. The old man was able to give perfect advice to the young prince. Gary thought of Seymour, the old man who lived down the block. Seymour was an elderly man, no one new exactly how old, but he had already outlived lived everyone on the block.
Gary was one of many children on Lake Street. All the children ranged from the age of five to seniors in high school. Seymour was a valued piece of history on Lake. All the families on Lake knew of ol’ Seymour. Well more than half of the parents on Lake knew Seymour when they were children. Although Seymour had changed significantly from when the “Baby Boomers” were children, he still wore his favorite pastel bath robes as he sat on his outside porch on his favorite chair. For years, Seymour had his favorite chair, a maple Adirondack which sat next to another. The Adirondack on the left was Seymour’s where he would read his newspapers and books. Seymour never had a family. After Seymour returned from Korea he settled on Lake with hopes to find a bride to grow old with. Unfortunately, Seymour’s hopes for a family never came true. Playing catch with kids in the yard became an unattainable fantasy.
As Seymour aged he became seen more and more throughout the neighborhood. No one on the street, children or parents, knew when Lake Street residents began talking to him, but it was a tradition. If any children, men, or women needed advice, to tell a story, or a friend Seymour was always there on his porch. Women who did not work could be seen talking to Seymour about their families and their homes during the early afternoon after they finished their housework. Children could be seen on Seymour’s porch around three thirty or so after school. Children would run off the school bus to Seymour’s welcoming Adirondack to tell them about the “A” they had just gotten on a spelling test, the bully on the monkey bars, the first girl they kissed, or when they had been accepted to college. Men and women who worked outside of the home could be seen around five thirty or six with their top buttons unbuttoned and their ties loosened. The workers would be welcomed to the lonely Adirondack as Seymour would lift his hand say hello and pat the seat.
Gary, with his body in class and his mind on Seymour, remembered the buttered corn. Every summer, the residents on Lake Street held a block party. As all the children and their parents were making floats and flying kites, Seymour could be seen at his grill. Seymour would buy pounds of corn on the cob with the shucks still on. After a proper grilling on all sides, Seymour would peel the top layer of the shuck dip them in butter and pass them out to all residents. Not only was Seymour a great man for advice, but you could also rely on him to perfectly pass out corn with proper golden brown grill marks oozing with butter.
Gary’s mind began to wander. What would be said at the funeral the next day? Seymour was the wisest man on the Lake Street. Who would deliver the sermon filled with wisdom and knowledge previously given by Seymour. Gary would miss the long talks after school about school, girls, and the future? Gary new Seymour always loved parents sticking their heads out of windows and doors waving to both Seymour and their child to tell them dinner was ready? The residents on Lake Street would miss Seymour, for he was by far Lake Streets most prized possession.
As Gary sat in his sophomore English class reading his favorite novel, his mind began to wander. Gary was supposed to be reading along with Homer’s The Odyssey when he read the few pages about the Swineherd. Telemacus, Odysseus’s son went to the wise old man known as the swineherd to get advice on how to help rid his father’s palace of his mother’s suitors. The old man was able to give perfect advice to the young prince. Gary thought of Seymour, the old man who lived down the block. Seymour was an elderly man, no one new exactly how old, but he had already outlived lived everyone on the block.
Gary was one of many children on Lake Street. All the children ranged from the age of five to seniors in high school. Seymour was a valued piece of history on Lake. All the families on Lake knew of ol’ Seymour. Well more than half of the parents on Lake knew Seymour when they were children. Although Seymour had changed significantly from when the “Baby Boomers” were children, he still wore his favorite pastel bath robes as he sat on his outside porch on his favorite chair. For years, Seymour had his favorite chair, a maple Adirondack which sat next to another. The Adirondack on the left was Seymour’s where he would read his newspapers and books. Seymour never had a family. After Seymour returned from Korea he settled on Lake with hopes to find a bride to grow old with. Unfortunately, Seymour’s hopes for a family never came true. Playing catch with kids in the yard became an unattainable fantasy.
As Seymour aged he became seen more and more throughout the neighborhood. No one on the street, children or parents, knew when Lake Street residents began talking to him, but it was a tradition. If any children, men, or women needed advice, to tell a story, or a friend Seymour was always there on his porch. Women who did not work could be seen talking to Seymour about their families and their homes during the early afternoon after they finished their housework. Children could be seen on Seymour’s porch around three thirty or so after school. Children would run off the school bus to Seymour’s welcoming Adirondack to tell them about the “A” they had just gotten on a spelling test, the bully on the monkey bars, the first girl they kissed, or when they had been accepted to college. Men and women who worked outside of the home could be seen around five thirty or six with their top buttons unbuttoned and their ties loosened. The workers would be welcomed to the lonely Adirondack as Seymour would lift his hand say hello and pat the seat.
Gary, with his body in class and his mind on Seymour, remembered the buttered corn. Every summer, the residents on Lake Street held a block party. As all the children and their parents were making floats and flying kites, Seymour could be seen at his grill. Seymour would buy pounds of corn on the cob with the shucks still on. After a proper grilling on all sides, Seymour would peel the top layer of the shuck dip them in butter and pass them out to all residents. Not only was Seymour a great man for advice, but you could also rely on him to perfectly pass out corn with proper golden brown grill marks oozing with butter.
Gary’s mind began to wander. What would be said at the funeral the next day? Seymour was the wisest man on the Lake Street. Who would deliver the sermon filled with wisdom and knowledge previously given by Seymour. Gary would miss the long talks after school about school, girls, and the future? Gary new Seymour always loved parents sticking their heads out of windows and doors waving to both Seymour and their child to tell them dinner was ready? The residents on Lake Street would miss Seymour, for he was by far Lake Streets most prized possession.